XRP News Today: SEC Considers Streamlined Pathway for Crypto ETF Approval

The United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is reportedly considering a streamlined pathway for the approval of crypto exchange-traded funds (ETFs). This proposed overhaul aims to automate a significant portion of the approval process, potentially reducing the back-and-forth communication between fund managers and the regulator.

Under the new structure, ETF issuers could bypass the 19b-4 application filings, which are currently required before listing a financial product on exchanges. Instead, issuers would submit SEC form S-1, the initial listing registration filing, and await a 75-day review period. If the SEC does not object to the application within this timeframe, the issuer would be permitted to list the ETF, thereby expediting the approval process.

However, the details of the proposal, including the eligibility criteria for cryptocurrencies qualifying for the expedited process, remain unclear and have not been confirmed by the issuers or the regulatory body. This simplification could potentially attract fresh capital into altcoin markets, which could trigger a sustained altcoin rally.

The SEC has recently approved the country’s first staked crypto ETF, the REX Shares Solana ETF (STAK), which includes staking rewards as part of its strategy. This move comes as the SEC faces a backlog of pending decisions on several crypto-related ETFs, many with final deadlines set for the second half of 2025. Proposals in line for approval include ETFs holding Litecoin (LTC), Dogecoin (DOGE), Solana (SOL) and XRP (XRP), along with requests for staking features on Ether (ETH) funds.

This development comes after the SEC approved the first U.S. spot Ethereum ETF in May 2025, marking Ethereum as the first non-Bitcoin asset to enter a regulated ETF structure. The potential approval of single-asset ETFs for various altcoins by the end of the year could further diversify the crypto ETF landscape. This simplification in the listing process is expected to attract more institutional investors, who have shown interest in Bitcoin ETFs despite flat prices. The streamlined approval process could also encourage more public companies to invest in crypto ETFs, as corporate treasuries have surpassed exchange-traded funds in terms of Bitcoin holdings for the third quarter in a row.